Shelter



Dec. 6, 1955 Filed Aug. 25, 1955 E. BELFER SHELTER 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

dam/MA) Dec. 6, 1955 BELFER 2,725,887

SHELTER Filed Aug. 25, 1953 2 Sheets$heet 2 INVENTOR.

United States Patent Oflfice 2,725,887 Patented Dem 6 1955 SHELTER Edward Belfer, Hollywood, Calif. Application August 25, 1953, Serial No. 376,374 10 Claims. (Cl. 135-5) This invention pertains to a shelter adapted for use at the beach as a cabana, or as a play tent for children.

At the beach it is desirable to obtain protection from the sun and the wind. In the past, protection from the sun has been obtained by the use of beach umbrellas. These, however, are costly, cumbersome. to handle, and are not always effective. Further, they do not protect from the wind and often are not usable when it is windy.

The present invention comprises a light-weight collapsible shelter which is easy to set up and take down, and has supports adapted to be pressed into the sand or the ground for holding it in a placed position under windy conditions.

Another feature of my invention is a novel arrangement for readily extending the shelter to open position and holding it in such position.

An object of this invention is to provide a shelter which is light in weight, compact, and easy to manage.

It is another object of this invention to provide a shelter which will protect against the wind and the sun and which is usable independently or with a group of shelters.

Other objects of invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of my invention in open position;

Fig. 2 is a front view;

Fig. 3 is a side view of my invention when used as a play tent;

Fig. 4 is an elevational view in folded position;

Fig. 5 is a view of a portion of the framework, with the cover removed, and the arrangement for moving it to open position taken generally from line 55 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the arrangement shown in Fig. 5 taken generally from the line 6-6 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 7 is a sectional view along the line 77 of Fig. 5.

Referring to the drawings, the shelter comprises a framework consisting of poles 1, 2, and 3, which, when used as a cabana, extend generally in a vertical direction, and stringers 4 and 5 which extend generally in a horizontal direction and are connected to the vertically extending members by an arrangement to be hereinafter more fully described. A cover 6 of canvas or other suitable material extends over the framework. A third horizontally extending member 7 is attached to the cover at its outer end and rests upon bracket 8 having bent portions 9 and 10 for connecting the horizontal members 4 and 5 to the vertical members. Members 3 and 5 are pivotally attached to portion 9 by pin 11, while members 1 and 4 are attached to portion 10 by pin 12. Vertical member 2 is pivotally attached to bracket 8 by a pin 21.

Members 4, 7, and 5 extend beyond bracket 8 and are provided, respectively, with openings 13, 14, and for receiving a cord or the like 16. This cord in turn is attached to a lever 17 at 18, and the lever is pivotally attached to member 2 at 19.

It will be noted that members 1 and 3 incline from a position generally at the front of the cabana to the upper rearward portion thereof. This provides, together with member 2, a tripod arrangement which is quite stable and serves as a supporting means for the generally cantilevered members 4, 5, and 7 supported by bracket 8. By pressing the ends of members 1, 2, and 3 into the sand or the ground, a very stable shelter will be obtained. Although the shelter is usable 'by one or more persons, several of them may be arranged side by side as a wind break and shelter for a large group.

My novel shelter can be carried to the beach, or other place of use, in the collapsed condition shown in Fig. 4. When it is desired to use the same, lever 17 in the posi tion shown in Fig. 4, is clasped by the user and moved to the position shown in Fig. 1. This causes members 4 and 5 to pivot about pins 12 and 11, respectively, and member 7 is pivoted on the top of bracket 8 to the position shown in Fig. 1. The lever is held in the open position by a suitable latch 20, as shown in Fig. 1. In this position, members 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 7 will be in the extended open positions shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The ends of members 1, 2, and 3 may then be placed in the sand or the ground, and a very stable shelter for protection against sun and wind will obtain.

Lever 17 may be made of heavy wire in the preferred embodiment of this invention, and of suflicient resiliency The horizontal members 4, 5, and 7 tend to move to the collapsed position of Fig. 4 by their own weight. It is then a simple matter to pick up the device and carry it away.

Persons who are unskilled in the handling of accessories and in opening and closing umbrellas find this device simple and easy to open and collapse.

When it is desired to use the shelter as a tent, it may be placed in the position shown in Fig. 3, with the normally vertically extending member 2 in a horizontal position, and the members 1 and 3 on an incline, with members 4, 5, and 7 generally vertical.

Although the invention has been described and illustrated in detail, it is to be clearly understood that the appended claims.

I claim:

bracket; a cover attached to said horizontal and vertical members to form a back, top, and sides; and means for one of said vertically extending members.

2. A shelter comprising generally vertically extending members and generally horizontally extending members, all said members converging generally at the uppermost and vertical members to form a top, back, and sides for said shelter.

3 A device as recited in claim 2, including a bracket to which said generally horizontally extending members are pivotally connected.

4. A device as recited in claim 2 in which there are provided three generally horizontally extending members connected to pivot with respect to said generally vertically extending members; and lever means connecting said horizontally extending members to one of said vertically extending members for moving the same to open position from a collapsed position.

5. A shelter comprising three generally vertically extending members, one of which is centrally disposed, said other two members being inclined upwardly .and rearwardly to converge at the upper rearward portion of said shelter; bracket means to which said members are pivotally connected; three generally horizontally extending members, one of which is centrally disposed and adapted to pivotally rest on said bracket; means pivotally connecting said other two horizontal members to said bracket; a lever connected to said centrally disposed vertically extending member; a cord connecting said three horizontal members to said lever, whereby upon movement of said lever said horizontal members may be moved to extended position from a collapsed position; and a cover extending over said vertical and horizontal members to form a back, top, and sides.

6. A shelter comprising three generally vertically ex tending supporting members, two of which are inclined upwardly and rearwardly to converge with the third member at the upper rearward portion of said shelter; three horizontally extending members converging at said portion; bracket means for connecting said vertically extending members with at least two of said horizontally extending members, the third of said horizontally extending members being adapted to rest and pivot upon said bracket; means for moving said horizontal members with respect to said vertical members to an open position from a collapsed position; means engaging said moving means for holding said horizontal members in extended position and a cover providing a back, top, and

sides.

7. A device 'as recited in claim 6 in which said moving means comprises a lever pivotally attached to one of said vertical members; and a cord attached to said three horizontal members and to said lever.

8. A shelter comprising three generally vertically extending supporting members arranged at an inclined position to provide a tripod; a bracket; means pivotally connecting the upper ends ofsaid members to said bracket; three generally horizontally extending members, two of which are pivotally connected to said bracket, and the other of which is pivotally supported by said bracket; a cover attached to all said members to form a back, sides, and a top; and means for moving said horizontal members to an open position from a collapsed position, said means being connected to said horizontally extending members and to at least one of said vertically extending members.

9. A shelter comprising three generally vertically extending supporting members arranged at an inclined position to provide a tripod; a bracket; means connecting the upper ends of said members to saidhracket; three generally horizontally extending members, two of which are pivotally connected to said bracket, and the other of which is pivotally supported by said bracket; 21 cover attached to said members to form aback, sides, and a top; said horizontally and vertically extending members being movable to open and collapsed positions; and means for holding said membersin open position.

'10. A device as recited 'in claim 9 in which said means for holding said members in open position comprises lever means connected to one of said vertical members and to said horizontal member pivotally supported by said bracket.

1,089,214 'Hanigan Mar. 3, 1914 

